Drop-brake-shaft mechanism.



IVI. J. NEUMAYEH.

DROP BRAKE SHAFT MECHANSM. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1a. |916.

LQMJYG@ Patemd 30, 19177- Fz' .I

llo

D' STS A TIMILIN d'. NEUMAYER. OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAIR,

AND FORY COMPANY, OF ST.V LOUIS, MISSOURI. A CORPORATION OF NEW E-sHA'r'r Mncnamsm.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Oct. 30, i917.

Application filed December 1S, 1916. Serial No. 137,614.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MAXIMILIAN el. NEU- MAYER, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Drop -Brakc- Shaft Mechanism, of which the following is a-ull, clear, 4and exact description, such as will enable others skiller in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe exact details-of construction shown andy described, as itl is obvious that various modications thereof within the scope of the clrafims will occur to persons skilled in the a v In said drawings:

Figure l is a section on line l-l of Fig. 2 and represents primarily a side elevation of my improved drop-brake mast mechanism shown as applied tothe end sill ot a car, the brake step being shown partly in section and an intermediate Iupper portion of the brake shaft beingbroken away;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the major portion ot the brake mast mechanism shown in Fig.' l;

Fig. 3 1s a detail vertical section through the lower portion of the mechanism being taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, a small portion of he brake shaft being shown in elevation; an l Fig d is a horizontal section through the st1rrup, said section being taken` on line fl--t ofFig. 2.

The invention disclosed herein pertains to a. drop pbrake mast mechanism of comparatively few and simple parts, in which there is a sleeve adapted toact as a winding drum, there being a brake. shaft slidablethrough said sleeve and so conformed to it as to drive the same to wind orunwind the chains or exible'terminals of the brake rigging of a railway car.

Due to its slidability, the brake shaft, and the hand wheely it carries, are adapted to be'placed at' dido/rent altitudes as theexigencies of the service in which it is em- 'ployed require,

It is proposed to supply bearings for the winding sleeve, one preferably being a brake shaft step and another a bearing bracket separate from said step adapted to be positioned away therefrom for attachment to the car structure at any convenient point. A ratchet wheel is preferably combined with the upper portion of the winding sleeve, which sleeve projects upwardly throu h its upper bearing as well as below the rake step. Said ratchet wheel is intended to so bear upon the upper -bearing member or bracket as to prevent the winding sleeve from assuming a position -lower than is intended for its normal functioning.

Below a portion of' the brake step in which the winding sleeve has a lower bearing, a freely oscillatory stirrup is preferably pivotally connected with the lower end of said sleeve in such manner that it co operates with the ratchet wheel to prevent any, material vertical movement of the sleeve.-

The stirrup or its equivalent is caused byv gravity to assume agiosition whereby it ertends under and pre erably across the lower opening in the sleeve, 1n which position it is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the brake shat and to hold the brake shaft in an elevated position.` There is a cooperative interlocking of the brake shaft and the stirrup when the latter is supporting the bra-ke shaft that locks said stirrup against unintended oscillation, but the arrangement is such that the sha-ft and stlrrup may be readily freed, the latter being adapted to be swung to such position as will permit a lowering of the shaft.

Other features developed.k hereinafter are to be regarded as coming within the spirit and scope of this invention.

l Referring specifically to the parts, a winding sleeve 10 is shown to extend between a lower horizontal portion of abrake shaft step 11 and a bearing bracket 12 spaced above the same. both said brake step and bearing bracket/ being secured. as b rivets, to the channelshaped end sill 13 el a railway' car. Y

Said winding s eve projects through bearing bracket 12 Vich is provided with a removable cap 12 and extends thereabove. preferably terminating in a ratchet wheel ltpcast integrally therewith and adapted to coperate with the usual pawl to prevent unintentional rotation of vsleeve 10 and a resultant unwinding of the brake rigging chains. The lower end of said winding sleeve 10 passes through an opening 26 in the horizontal shelf-like portion of brake step 11, and intermediate bearing bracket 12 and the horizontal portion of said brake shaft step, said winding sleeve 10 is provided with a lug 15 or other means for the attachment thereto of a brake rigging chain. Preferably directly underneath the horizontal shelf-like portion of brake shaft step 11, a stirrup 21 is pivotally connected wit the end of winding sleeve 10 which projects below that portion of the step 11. 21 is preferably U-shaped with the legs of the U upstanding, inwardlydirepted trunnions 24 being, by choice, preferably formed near the upper terminals of the stirrup legs.

As shown in Fig. 3, diametrically opposed holes 16 through thewall of sleeve 10 form sockets for thereception of trunnions 24. As stirrup 21 is here shown to be a one-piece or unitary member, it will,

of course, be at once recognized that the.. stirrup cannot be attached to the lower portion of sleeve 10 when it is in its final form. To provide for this condition, said stirrup is made of a ductile material, preferably being a malleableA casting, and before being assembled with sleeve 10 the trunnion-bearing legs are spread farther apart, this being the condition in which itfis cast. With trunnions 24 placed so that they will enter the sleeve holes 16, the legs of stirrup 21 are pressed together to enter said holes and orm the connection, as bes't illustrated in A vertically disposed brake shaft 17 eX- tends through winding sleeve 10 and thereabove fora suitable distance determined by the car super-structure, a hand-wheel 18 being mounted thereon at its upper extremity. The cross section of brake shaft 17 and the longitudinal passage through winding sleeve l0 are preferably non-circular so that when' hand-wheel and brake 'shaft 17 are rotated, winding sleeve 10 will be driven by and with said brake `shaft. The lower end of brake shaft 17 is reduced and may be cylindrical to form a reduced bottom projection 19, this formation also producing a shoulder 22 at the bottom of the non-circular portion of brake shaft 17. The reduced brake shaft end 19' is adapted to pass through an aperture 23 in the horizontal portion of stirrup 21 and thefbottom shoulder 22 of the brake shaft will lie upon the upper surface of said stirrup horizontal portion, when said stirrup is in a vertically depending position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Brake shaft 17 and hand-wheel` 18 are held in elevated position when stirrup 21 and the bottom portion of brake "shaft lby a cotter or other Stirrup 17 are in the positions just referred to. When the stirrup 21 is holding the brake shaft 17 elevated as described, the brake shaft also prevents the oscillation of the pivotally mounted stirrup.

It being desired to lower the brake shaft `17 and hand-wheel 18, it is rst necessary to raise said brake shaft so that its reduced portion 19 will be withdrawn from aperture 23 in stirrup 21. Too great an upward movement of the brake shaft is prevented pin 25 which is projected transversely through a hole 20 in the lower non-circular portion of brake shaft 17 adjacent the reduced end 19 thereof. During such upward movement of brake shaft 17, cotter pin 25 encounters the underside ofv winding sleeve 10 and arrests theupward movement of the brake shaft. Stirrup 21 is now free to oscillate and may be swung to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1. after which brake shaft 17 may be lowered.

To restore'brake shaft 17 and its handwheel 18 to their elevated position, it is only necessary to lift said brake shaft, whereupon stirrup 21 will swing from the dotted line position in Fig. 1 to the full line position in that figure automatically by gravity and, brake shaft 17 being allowed to descend, its reduced end 19 will renter aperture 23 in stirrup 21, again locking said stirrup from oscillation, and the stirrup maintaining the brake shaft elevated.

What I claim is: o

1. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a suitably mounted drum-forming sleeve, adapted to rotate the same, and a device eX- ternal to and pivotally hung on said sleeve adapted to hold said shaft elevated and to be oscillated to permit the shaft to be lowered.

2. In combination in a drop brake shaft vmechanism', a revolubly mounted drum-formlng sleeve, a brake shaft slidable therein' a brake shaft slidable therein' adapted to rotate the same, and a device attached to and extending beneath said sleeve adapted to hold said shaft elevated and to be operated to permit said shaft to be lowered.

3. In-combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revolubly mounted brakemechanism-operating apertured member, a brake shaft tate the same, and a device supported from and depending below said member adapted to hold said shaft elevated and to be operated to permitsaid shaft to be lowered.

4. In combinationl mechanism, a sleeve, a brake shaft slidable therein adapted to rotate the same, and a device directly mounted on said sleeve to eX- ternally extend under thesleeve opening to hold said shaft elevated and adapted-to be moved away from the sleeve opening to permit said shaft to be lowered. .7;

slidable therein adapted to roin a drop vbrake shaft 5.A ln combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism. a revolublv mounted isleeve, a brake shaftslidable therein adapted to rotate the same. and an oscillatory device having a plural pivotal connection with the lower portion of said sleeve and underlying the sleeve opening to hold said shaft elevated and adapted to be swung to permit the shaft to be lowered.

6. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism. a sleeve, a brake shaft slidable therein, a device alined with the opening in the sleeve to hold said Shaftelevated, integral portions of said sleeve and device forining a pivotal connection therebetween and beingso interlocked as to be incapable of separation in any direction, said device being adapted to be swung to permit said shaft to be lowered.

i'. ln combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve and a stirrup having spaced legs between which said sleeve extends, integral trunnions on one of said elements projecting into the sockets in the other element in such manner that said sleeve and stirrup are inseparable, a brake shaft slidable 11i said sleeve adapted to be held elevatcd by said stirrup, said stirrup heilig adapted to 'be swung topermit said shaft to be lowered.

8. lncombination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a sleeve and a one-piece stirrup, trunnions on one of said elements and sockets formed in the other receiving said trunnions in such manner that said sleeve and stirrup are `inseparable except upon the alterationo the shape of said stirrup, and a brake shaft slidable in said sleeve adapted to be held elevated by said stirrup, said stirrup being adapted to be swung aside to permit the lowering of said shaft.

9. ln combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a revolubly mounted winding sleeve. a ,depending stirrup pivotally v attached thereto having an apertured portion underlying the opening in the sleeve, and a brake shaft slidable in said sleeve adapted to be supported in elevated position by .said stirrup, to` enter the aperture thereof and to hold said stirrup, from oscillation, said stirrup and brake shaft being capa-bleef separation and theformer being adapted to be swung to permit the lowering of said brake shaft.

10. In combination in a drop brakeshaft mechanism, a revoluble winding sleeve,` a depending stirrup pivotally attached thereto having a portion spaced below saidsleeve,

- a brake shaft slidabl'e in said sleeve adapted to be supported in elevated position by and to prevent oscillation of said shaft when said stirrup is in brake-supporting position,

said stirrup being. capable of being swung to permit said shaft to be lowered.

l1. ln combination in a drop brake shafttending below said sleeve-actuating mechanism, an apertured brake shaft step,

r ertured portion, a. revoluble sleeve extending throu'gliaiid below said portion, a stirrup pivotally connected with said sleeve adapted to prevent upward ywithdrawal thereof, and a slidable sleeve-driving brake shaft supported in elevated position by said stirrup,

an oscillatory displacement of said stirrup permitting said shaft to be lowered.

13. In combination in adrop brake shaft mechanism, upper and lower bearing mem: bers. a sleeve i'evolubly mounted therein having portions projected beyond both bearing members. a stirrup connected to the sleeve portion `beyond said lower bearing member and a sleeve-driving brake shaft i eey slidable in said sleeve adapted to be held elevated or permitted to be lowered by said stirrup, the sleeve' portion beyond the upper bearing member and said stirrup holding said sleeve against material longitudinal movement.

14. 1n combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a brake shaft step and an upper bearing bracket mounted on car structure independently of each other, a winding sleeve having bearings in each, a sleeve-carried ratchet wheel above said upper bracket, said sleeve also projctingbelow a portion of said step, a` stirrup pivotally connected with said sleeve below said step portion, a

'sleeve-driving brake shaft slidable in said Sleeve adapted to be held elevated or perl mitted to be 'lowered by said stirrup, said ratchet wheel and stirrup preventing material longitudinal movement of said sleeve.l

15. 1n combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a winding sleeve, a slidable sleeve-driving. brake shaft extending 'therethrough and a suitably supported device exsleeve and automatically assuming a position to` hold said shaft elevated.`

16. ln combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a winding sleeve, a slidable brake shaft extending therethrough and a suitably supported device operable by gravity to locate itself beneath the opening of the sleeve in position to hold said shaft elevated.

A17. In combination in a drop brake shaft mechanism, a slidablefbrake shaft and a suitably supported vdevice operable by lgravity to positionitself in cooperative ren@ l weave@ vated, said device and shaft being penehold the latter elevated, said shaft when so trated one bythe other when in sald posiheld locking said device against oscillation. 10

tion. In witness whereof I have hereunto set 18. In combination in a drop brake shaft my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 mechanism, a slidable brake Ashaft and a n lMAXIMILIAN J. NEUMAYER.

suitably supported device freely oscillatory' .Witneem y `and operable by gravity to position itself BLAsDnL SHAPLEIGH,

1nv cooperative relation with saidshaft to OsoARHoomERG. 

